South Africa v England: 4th Test Preview
It has been an oft used word of late, but England have all of the momentum going into the final Test of this so-far magnificent series. They had all the momentum going into Cape Town too, and nearly lost, so with the momentum also comes the pressure.
Pietersen has a point to prove
The ‘favourites’ tag is not one that sits easily around the England team’s neck, usually acting as a tightening noose to their aspirations. There will be relief, however, that the series cannot be lost; a series in which they were expected to flounder awash with post-Ashes delirium. Whatever happens in Johannesburg, heads can be held high, reputations restored.
Johannesburg offers England a chance to show-off. It offers a chance to simply enjoy their cricket following the toughest of seasons that began on the flat tracks of the Caribbean, witnessed an Ashes victory and is concluding in the ‘Bull Ring’. South Africa will be forced to shed their conservative shackles and go all-in. A draw, never mind a defeat, is no good to them.
This series has not been kind to Graeme Smith and his band of merry men, failing to take the final English wicket in Centurion and Cape Town; these agonising draws separated by a thumping defeat in Durban. Victory in Johannesburg, therefore, is essential.
The fourth day display that they put on in Cape Town, where Jacques Kallis laboured to 46, cannot be repeated, especially with the threat of rain hanging in the heavens. South Africa have grown comfortable with their method; namely avoiding defeat before going for the win. This philosophy must change and it will bring AB de Villiers, Smith and JP Duminy to the fore with the bat.
Such was Paul Harris’ lack of penetration on the fifth day wicket in Cape Town, where he was out-bowled by part-time assistant of spin Duminy, that South Africa may well opt for a five-man seam attack featuring debuts from Wayne Parnell and ex-Kolpaker Ryan McLaren. Friedel de Wet will be out for some time having sustained a ‘serious’ back injury in Cape Town.
South Africa’s poor run of luck was compounded by the humiliating events surrounding leg-spinner Imran Tahir, too. Is he actually qualified to play for South Africa? The selectors thought so, as did Tahir himself; only problem being that he hasn’t spent the requisite amount of time actually in the country. Oh dear…
As far as England’s selection goes, incredibly, they look set to field the same XI throughout a series of four or more Tests for the first time in some 125 years. Familiarity can breed contempt in some quarters, but it can breed success in others.
Alistair Cook and Ian Bell have reasserted themselves in the England order and James Anderson and Graham Onions have bowled with panache. Stuart Broad, too, has shown the killer touch when called upon. The man keeping the four man attack viable, however, is Graeme Swann. He always appears to enjoy his cricket so should relish the task ahead in Johannesburg.
It’s the two South African bred players in the England middle-order that will feel that they may have a point to prove in their final Test outing here for a few years. Jonathon Trott and Kevin Pietersen hardly have the axe hanging over them, but both will be desperate to reach treble figures. Who would bet against either?
Perhaps the Johannesburg curator, Chris Scott. The man in charge of the 22 yards that separate the hosts from series defeat and honours shared knows that a result pitch is required. Expect to see a covering of grass on the wicket to further assist the seamers, and don’t be surprised if Harris is omitted from the final South African XI. Back-to-back series defeats – South Africa were beaten at home last year by Australia too – and coach Mickey Arthur will not be sitting pretty. Put simply, he has to roll the dice.
With only rain likely to cause a draw, picking a victor here is difficult. I just fancy England may squeeze it. The South Africans have repeatedly shown that they are fond of choking when the chips are down, and England have a real chance to assert themselves on the world game heading into a new decade. It also represents an opportunity for those selected to demonstrate that they can cope with the pressure ahead of a season which will culminate in the toughest of challenges; an Ashes defence Down Under.
By Miles Reucroft
January 14th, 2010 at 12:12 am
England may pull off a notable series win; this would be despite what, for me, is a flawed selection policy. I would not have played four bowlers for any of the previous tests and despite England’s position of strength in the series remain unconvinced by the strategy. It can be argued that six batsmen were responsible for saving the games at Pretoria and Cape Town. I would disagree and contend that the games might never have been so desperate for England if they had used five bowlers instead of four with which to attack the South Africans. Now, ironically, the strategy of six batsmen and four bowlers makes tactical sense when a match needs to be saved in order to win the series.
I sincerely hope that England prevail and will be following the match with intense interest. However, if the England management team conclude that a series win in South Africa legitimises an imbalanced selection strategy then the prospect of winning the Ashes in Australia remains as elusive as ever.
Five bowlers please.